Speaking Everyone's Opinion
by A Random Author
Summary: It's time for a little lunch a day after releasing the second seal. Everyone seems down, but only Lloyd speaks what everyone else is thinking... (My first attempt at fanfiction. I may update if I get good reviews.)


DISCLAIMER --- DISCLAIMER --- DISCLAIMER --- DISCLAIMER --- DISCLAIMER

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I do not own the copyrights or trademarks to any of the characters or the storyline mentioned in this fanfic. I am not being paid by anyone to write about this game, but I am only doing it for recreational means. All of these characters are copyrighted trademarks of Nintendo and Namco. This story is just a fanwork, so please, don't sue. Please enjoy, and review.

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Speaking Everyone's Opinion

The time was nearing noon and the group looked about at eachother... Genis and Raine were sitting back as they continued to eat at this time of rest. They ate silently even though their faces showed all of the thoughts running through their (and everyone else's) minds. Lloyd sat back watching Colette... she had neither slept or eaten in many days now. The somber look playing over Lloyd's face was more than enough to show what he was thinking... hoping that these symptoms of Angel Toxicosis weren't going to last forever.

Kratos stood watching over everyone, but not really... he merely said that he wasn't hungry and stood with his back towards the group and facing the sun... his thoughts being only Martel knows. Lloyd didn't know why, but for some reason, he respected the man that stood like a sentinel against the sun before them. Shaking those feelings off, he looked down towards his food. He realized that he hadn't touched it, which was odd, on account that Genis' cooking was very appealing to the tastebuds... but, on account that he was worried about his dear friend, he couldn't bring himself to lift his spoon.

Lloyd continued to sit, brooding over what was happening to his friend. Nothing he could do or say could make her change her mind about where they were going, what they were doing... regenerating the world. Lloyd knew that Colette would never turn her back on the people of the world who were depending on her; he couldn't restrain a sigh at the whole thought of it.

Lloyd dropped his pan of food to the ground unable to eat anything... This action undoubtedly drew attention to himself. Genis and Raine looked up to him first, Kratos turning with his hand on the hilt of sword, and then Colette.

"Arrrgh! Hey, Lloyd! There's people in any human ranch that would damn near kill to have food like that to eat! But that's only natural with my cooking!" Genis said to lighten to mood some, but his joke was cut short by one of Raine's hands, sailing through the air and leaving a bright red handprint on left cheek.

"Genis, watch your language!"

"Ow, Raine! I'm sorry... It would have been funny on my part if you hadn't of slapped me..." the last sentence was merely a murmur under Genis' breath.

Raine merely spoke, "You had better be, little man!" She popped another bit of her ramen into her mouth and slurped it up, which was very unlike her. "Well, Lloyd, what is it that you're thinking about?"

Lloyd finally spoke up what everyone was thinking. Or... what most of them were thinking, because it seemed like Kratos was in his own little world again. His back was turned and his arms were once more folded over his chest.

"Well, I can't stand what's happening to Colette! She doesn't eat, she can't sleep! What's wrong with this picture!?! Seriously! This isn't fair! What did Collette do to deserve all of the problems she getting laid on her?" About halfway through his sentence and threw his arm to the side in disgust, his eyes furious.

Colette continued to sit her gaze lowering towards the fire used to cook the ramen just a while back. "Lloyd... I know it's hard on you but... I have to do this... for everyone in Sylvarant."

"I knew you were going to say that, Colette! And, I was hoping that you wouldn't! I mean, why couldn't have Remiel just picked somebody else to be the chosen!?! Why did he have to pick my friend? That's not right for someone to just take things away from you! And if this is what it means to become an angel, I hope that I never become one! What are you going to have to give up next, Colette? Tch... it seems an unfair trade for a pair of wings!"

Raine and Genis both looked down hearing Lloyd's opinion on the subject of world regeneration. They both agreed whole-heartedly with Lloyd. None of this was a fair trade to Colette. And they were equally as worried, though they didn't quite have the strength to say it as Lloyd just had.

Colette's eyes teared up slightly at this and to shake the feeling, she closed them. "I know, Lloyd... it isn't fair, but, there isn't anything I can do about it... I'm the chosen and I'm doing this for Sylvarant... not myself."

Lloyd, angered that he couldn't say anything to dissuade her, turned his back and walked out towards the sun, past Kratos. Behind him, he could hear Kratos saying, "Don't act too rashly, Lloyd. Colette is only doing her part as the chosen. As she said, she's doing this for Sylvarant, not herself... think about how she's feeling. Don't you think that if it were up to her, she would turn back...?"

"Shut up, Kratos! You don't know what I'm going through right now! Me or Colette! You got that? This hurts! Don't think that you can even pretend to know what this is like for any of us! You're just some mercenary that decided to take on the job of following us around!"

"If that's truly what you think, Lloyd, then you have another thing coming... I know more than you could ever come to know." Kratos chuckled lightly, his arms still folded over his breastplate and his eyes closed. A slight wind made his red-brown hair dance almost mystically. "After all, Lloyd, I'm much older than you."

"Arrrgh! Shut up! You think you're so cool and powerful!" With that, Lloyd continued to walk away into the field standing underneath the shade of a tree. He folded his arms over his chest and once more, began to brood over this. "GAH!", he shouted as he slammed his arms to his sides realizing he had been standing as Kratos just was. "I don't want to have anything in common with that guy... " Lloyd sighed and sank to a sitting position.

Colette looked to Genis and Raine once more, who were still sitting beside one another, finishing up their ramen in a quiet manner. Her voice was slightly shaky as she spoke up to them. "I... I'm sorry everyone. I didn't mean to cause such a panic."

Genis looked up, a noodle hanging from his mouth and sauce splashed on his face slightly. He quickly inhaled the noodle and said, with some difficulty from Raine's wiping the area of his mouth with a handkerchief, "It'll, be alright, Colette... that lug just cares about you. We all do... He just needs some time to cool off." He smiled to her and cast his sister a sidelong, wary glance. "Could let ME take care of that next time, Raine...? Please...? I'm growing up! I can do it myself!"

Just for saying that, Raine grabbed a bit of spit from her mouth with the handkerchief and made sure that Genis' face was spick-and-span. You could nearly see her reflection in Genis' cheek when she had finally finished. All of this gave Colette a laugh or nine and even though she wasn't hungry... she began to eat her ramen... for Lloyd's sake.

Colette looked up to Raine and Genis and merely said, "Thank you, you two... I'll try my hardest not to worry you all from now on..."

An hour or so passed as the sun had dipped ever so slightly in it's setting direction before Lloyd came back. Everything was cleaned up and everyone was getting ready to get back on their feet again. He looked to Colette and sighed. "Colette... I... I'm sorry about that whole thing earlier... I just..."

The little blonde girl cut him off with, "was worried about me. I know. Don't worry... it's fine, Lloyd. Thank you for showing so much concern!" She smiled... one of the things that could always manage to brighten up Lloyd's day. That in turn, caused him to smile as well.

"You're welcome Colette... I told you. I'm here to protect you. I promise, as long as I'm here... nothing is going to happen to you." Seeing her turn away and run happily towards the others, he looked down and said under his breath, "unless... something else is stolen from you because of Remiel and his damn Angel Toxicosis..."

Lloyd looked up to see Kratos and everyone, ready. He walked over and as he neared them, he asked, "Is everyone ready?" Nods from everyone but him and Kratos told them what all he needed to know. He then, nodded. "Alright then... let's go to the next seal..."


End file.
